How are you about goal setting? What happens to you when you hear the word “goals”? Do you tighten up, put up barriers, or find creative way to avoid the issue? Does the work trigger feeling such as: pressure to perform, obligation, “have to”, or “should?” Well, you are not alone!

When I started coaching, eight out of ten of my coaching clients held life-long resistance to goal setting.

The other two out of ten enjoyed goal setting and welcomed the process with enthusiasm. I like to help those of you who don’t. And for those who do love goal setting, to re-frame it.

As Fran Fisher so eloquently points out, the re-frame begins with this paradox: without identifying a goal or intended outcome, there can be no process for achieving the goals! The old paradigm that many of us, grew up with was steeped in messages life: “Focus on the out -come with tunnel vision; do not stray from the path. Not fun.

That old paradigm has us operating out of our head. But I assert that our hearts must be consulted for what it is we want, so that our goals are something our hearts desire. Then the head can design a plan for achieving it and excuse the plan. That way, our head and hearts are working together in partnership doing what they each do best.

The shift in perspective is the idea of replacing the word ” goal ” with the word” choice”. I have noticed that the idea of choice accesses heart – centered power – unconsciously being at choice, rather than obligation. We embraced process with more freedom, joy, and openness. We unleashed more love for other and ourselves.

Remembering the “Smart” acronym for how to design a powerful goal, the following acronym and sentence her reflect and reinforces the energizing “choice” approach.